SMALL COMPANIES

May/June 2013 – BizVoice/Indiana Chamber 25

While BlueSky Technology Partners is a relatively young enterprise – established in 2006 – a number of the employees have strong ties that span many years. They were together at a former company, later went through an acquisition and ultimately returned after BlueSky was formed by two of their

own and had its footing. That unique journey led founders Todd Irwin (CEO) and Eric Warne (president and COO) to operate in a certain way and establish an employee-centric culture, offers Gary Vincent, director of operations and part of the leadership team. “We make sure that people are treated fairly and it’s about the people. We get that at the end of the day, we’re not selling widgets, it’s about the people and processes. Everything we do – from moving into the new building to the perks – is for the betterment of the employees, and they get that. Everyone has a sense of ownership and a sense of pride, and we’ve got each other’s back.” The work BlueSky does is e-commerce consulting, primarily leveraging IBM technology. There are approximately 25 employees in Central Indiana and another 20-plus around the U.S. and in Toronto; this includes full-time contractors with specialized skills. Staff can work from home if there are family obligations. BlueSky actually started in a home office before relocating two years later to a Noblesville business park; in March, the company moved into a larger facility across the street. A ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor John Ditzler in attendance is slated for May. “We’ve had several years where we doubled our employee base – in 2009, 2010 and 2011. And we continue to add and grow. It’s been a pretty aggressive road to find the right people with the right skills to match our customer needs,” Warne relays. In the beginning, the company’s first client was Northern Tool + Equipment out of Minneapolis. “They are still one of our largest clients today; their e-commerce has grown dramatically and we think we’ve played a key part in their success,” Irwin states. Northern Tool is now a Top 100 Internet Retailer. Delta Faucet, Kay Jewelers, Jared Jewelry, Jos. A Bank and HH Gregg are among BlueSky’s most recognizable client brands. “We’re proud of the size and stature of our client base. Our average project size has grown two-fold in the last couple of years as a result of the types of customers we are attracting,” Irwin shares. A typical project takes six to 12 months to complete, and “it gets intense in the end as you go live in the software development world,” Irwin notes. One thing BlueSky does as both a thank you and recognition for employees’ efforts is a launch party at the conclusion of each project. “It’s a good way for us to show appreciation for the hard work that went into these. We believe it’s key to morale and building a strong camaraderie,” Irwin remarks. Being responsive to employees in other ways is also top of mind, says Josh Woody, director of human resources and recruiting. In 2013, the company rolled out a peer review cycle as part of the annual review process due to multiple employees requesting it on the Best Places to Work survey; the decision “was met with great feedback and enthusiasm.” Concludes Terri Kershner, director of channels and marketing, about the employees and BlueSky: “We’re professional. We get it. Good work is done here. One of our customers is speaking at a big IBM event in May. IBM only has happy customers stand up and speak to 1,500 other customers. That says a lot about BlueSky.”

BlueSky Technology Partners‘We’ve Got Each Other’s Back’

By Rebecca Patrick

BlueSky’s new space includes a rec room for employees to unwind.

Work done for IndyCar’s Eddie Cheever during the company’s early days led to a BlueSky sticker on his race car.